Barrel.



No. 779,230. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. J. T. MELSON & J, D. MARVIL.

BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1904.

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UN TED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. MELSON AND JOSHUA D. MARVIL, OF LAUREL, DELAWVARE,

ASSIGNORS TO (JOLLAPSIBLE BARREL CO., OF LAUREL, DELAWARE, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BARREL.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 779,230, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed April 25, 1904. Serial No. 204,825.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN T. MELSON and JosHUA D. MARVIL, citizens of the United States, residing at Laurel, in the county of 5 Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Barrels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to barrels, the improvements being directed particularly to that 1 class thereof known as collapsible or knockdown barrels.

The object of the invention is to provide a barrel of such character that can be readily set up and which when in said condition will I be thoroughly strong, it being capable when occasion requires of ready collapsing. hen collapsed, the barrel occupies a comparatively small space.

The barrel may be employed for the ship- 2 ment of various kinds of articles; but as when it is set up it is ventilated it is especially adapted for the reception of perishable articles. When set up, the barrel is centrally outwardly bulged, by virtue of which said barrel can be more readily handled.

The barrel includes in its construction two series of staves and a band surrounding the two series. The sides of the two series are separated by a space equaling approximately 3 the width of a stave, and the band or bands,

if a plurality is present and such form is preferable, extends or extend across the space hetween the two series. By virtue of this gap that part of the band or bands which extends across the same serves as a hinge or hinges in order to facilitate the collapsing of the barrel. Preferably the opposite sides of the two series are separated from each other by spaces such as that indicated, and staves to fill the 4 same are flexibly connected with said series. These flexibly-mounted staves in the present instance are not connected to the band or bands, although they are adapted when the barrel is set up to be moved into the space between the opposite sides of the two series of staves connected directly with the bands.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification we have illustrated one simple and convenient adaptation of the invention, which will be set forth in detail in the following description; but we wish to state at this point that we do not limit ourselves to the disclosure thus made, for certain variations as to a number of points may be made within the scope of our claims following said description.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a barrel including our invention and showing the same set up. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the barrel collapsed. Fig. 4: is a detail in perspective of a portion of the barrel shown as collapsed.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The body of the barrel includes in its construction two series of staves, each denoted in a general way by 5. The two series of staves are exteriorly handed, and for this purpose We represent two bands or hoops, each designated by 6 and located near the opposite ends of the staves. The bands or hoops are connected permanently to said staves in any desirable mannersay by nails, which are clenched on the inner sides of the said staves. It will be seen that the opposite sides of the two series of staves 5 are separated, and the gaps or spaces between these sides are each approximately equal to the width of a stave, such gaps or spaces being of course bridged by the bands or hoops 6 and being adapted to receive certain filling-staves, as 7. These filling-staves are flexibly connected with the opposite sides of one of the series 5, and the flexible connection between the said fillingstaves 7 and'the terminal staves of a series 5 may be of any convenient character. For this purpose we represent strips, as 8, constituting the hinge members, two strips being shown in each case. Each pair of strips is connected in some suitable manner to a filling-stave 7 and also to a terminal stave of a series 5. Both filling-staves 7 in the present instance are connected with a common series of staves 5. This, however, is not essential.

By virtue of the fact that the filling-staves 7 are not directly connected with the bands or l hoops 6 those parts of said bands or hoops which extend across the spaces between the two series 5 serve as hinge members to facilitate the collapsing of the barrel. As the filling-staves 7 are connected to the series of staves 5, the former cannot be separated from the barrel structure when the latter is collapsed for shipment or during shipment.

With the barrel in its knocked-down position the following procedure is adopted in setting the barrel up for use: The body is manipulated in such manner as to bring the same approximately to acylindrical position, after which the filling-staves 7 are sprung into the spaces between the sides of the two series of staves 5. To knock the barrel down, the filling-staves 7 are slipped out of the said gaps, at which time the barrel-body can be readily folded, during which operation one series of staves 5 will approach the other, the bands or hoops 6 of course being flexed where they cross the gaps hereinbefore mentioned. When the barrel is collapsed, the staves 7 will occupy the space between the two series of staves 5.

The heads for the barrel may be of any suitable character. We have represented a bottom head, and such head in the present instance is hingedly connected with the barrelbody. Said bottom or lower head is denoted by 9, and it may be of any suitable character. It is naturally in circular shape to fit within the correspondingly-formed barrel when the latter is set up. To the upper or inner side of the head we fasten a strip of suitable material, such as sheet metal, and tin is a satisfactory medium for this purpose, such strip being also fastened to one of the series of staves 5 midway or approximately midway between the staves 7 which, as will be understood, are diametrically or substantially diametrically opposite each other. The strip 10 constitutes a hinge. WVhen the barrel is set up into cylindrical form, the bottom head 9 is dropped down and can be held in proper relation by any suitable means. For this purpose wehave represented a series of strips,

as 11, four of them being shown permanently connected at their inner ends to the under or outer side of the head 9. The outer ends of these strips 11 are perforated to receive fastening devices, such as nails, which fastening devices when the head 9 is fastened in place are adapted to penetrate what might be considered the lower band or hoop 6 and also the relatively fixed or permanent staves 5, connected with said band.

In setting up the barrelin the manner hereinbefore described the bottom 9 is dropped down, after which the strips 11 are passed over the underside of the two series of staves 5 and fastened thereto in the manner previously indicated. In order to ventilate the body of the barrel, we provide a hoop 12, adapted to be introduced thereinto after the rvaaao barrel is set up. This hoop is driven into place, and its external diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the set-up barrel, so that as said hoop is lowered it expands the staves outward, and as the staves are of flexible material, such as wood, they are of course laterally separated and at the same time bulged outward in order to provide not only for the ventilation of the barrel, but also a so-called bulge-barrel. hen the hoop 12, which may be made of wood or any other desirable material, is in its normal position, it is situated approximately centrally of the depth of the barrel. To strengthen the latter, we apply on the outside thereof a second hoop, as 13, which may also be made from wood. When the barrel is set up and when the two hoops 12 and 13 are in place, said barrel can be readily collapsed by removing first the hoops l2 and 13 and thenremoving the fastenings from the strips 11. WVhen this is done, the lower head of the barrel can be folded within the same, after which the staves 7 can be sprung out of their working positions, succeeding which the two series of staves 5 can be moved toward each other. When the barrel is collapsed, the head 9 will be within the same, and the two hoops l2 and 13 can also be put inside the barrel.

We claim 1. A barrel including two series of staves, separated from each other by a space approximately equaling the width of a stave, and a band surrounding and permanently connected with said two series of staves and extending across the gap between the same, that part of the band extending across the gap constituting a hinge.

2. A barrel including two series of staves, separated from each other by a space approximately equaling the width of a stave, a band surrounding said two series of staves and extending across the gap between the same, that part of the band extending across the gap constitutinga hinge, and a filling-stave to fitinto said space, movably connected solely to one of said series of staves.

3. A barrel including two series of staves, a band surrounding the same and secured thereto, said series being separated from each other by spaces equaling respectively approximately the width of a stave and the band extending across said spaces, and a filling-stave to enter each of said spaces and flexibly connected solely with an adjacent stave of one of said series.

4. A barrel including two series of staves, a band surrounding the same, said series of staves being spaced apart and the spaces equaling respectively approximately the width of a stave, said spaces being diametrically opposite each other, staves to fill said spaces, and strips flexibly connecting the last-mentioned staves with the first-mentioned staves.

5. A barrel including two series of staves,

our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN T. MELSON. JOSHUA D. MARVIL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES G. OTWELL, IRA H. MELSON. 

